Fury backtracks after suggesting he could beat Wladimir Klitschko

Heavyweight prospect Tyson Fury has backtracked after suggesting he could beat world champion Wladimir Klitschko.

Monday’s brash statement from the unbeaten Englishman, still only 23, seem to be over the top and immediately earned a stiff rebuke from a dismissive Klitschko.

Now Fury (14-0, 10 knockouts), who challenges Dereck Chisora for the British and Commonwealth titles on July 23, is having second thoughts about calling out The RING, WBA, WBO and IBF beltholder – or, for that matter, his older brother and WBC champ, Vitali.

“I simply don’t think I’m ready to fight the Klitschkos yet. I don’t want to get into a fight where I am just making up the numbers,” said Fury, who is from Manchester. “I’m still learning and I want to have more fights and get more experience before I even think about jumping up to that sort of level.

“I’ve said from the start I want to get to the top the old-fashioned way, by winning the British title, the European and then I’ll think about a world title.“

Defeating British rival Chisora (14-0, 9 KOs), originally from Nigeria, would be a definite step in the right direction and Fury is in a confident mood ahead of the showdown in London a week from Saturday.

“I don’t rate Chisora at all. Fair play to him because he is the British and Commonwealth champion, but that is his level and he won’t get past that,” Fury said.